g of
something finer in all this. The cat had been embalmed with coarser
materials; here, all, when once the outer coverings were removed, was
more delicately done. It seemed as if only the finest gums and spices
had been used in this embalming. But there were the same surroundings,
the same attendant red dust and pungent presence of bitumen; there was
the same sound of rending which marked the tearing away of the
bandages. There were an enormous number of these, and their bulk when
opened was great. As the men unrolled them, I grew more and more
excited. I did not take a part in it myself; Margaret had looked at me
gratefully as I drew back. We clasped hands, and held each other hard.
As the unrolling went on, the wrappings became finer, and the smell
less laden with bitumen, but more pungent. We all, I think, began to
feel it as though it caught or touched us in some special way. This,
however, did not interfere with the work; it went on uninterruptedly.
Some of the inner wrappings bore symbols or pictures. These were done
sometimes wholly in pale green colour, sometimes in many colours; but
always with a prevalence of green. Now and again Mr. Trelawny or Mr.
Corbeck would point out some special drawing before laying the bandage
on the pile behind them, which kept growing to a monstrous height.

At last we knew that the wrappings were coming to an end. Already the
proportions were reduced to those of a normal figure of the manifest
height of the Queen, who was more than average height. And as the end
drew nearer, so Margaret's pallor grew; and her heart beat more and
more wildly, till her breast heaved in a way that frightened me.

Just as her father was taking away the last of the bandages, he
happened to look up and caught the pained and anxious look of her pale
face. He paused, and taking her concern to be as to the outrage on
modesty, said in a comforting way:

"Do not be uneasy, dear! See! there is nothing to harm you. The Queen
has on a robe.--Ay, and a royal robe, too!"

The wrapping was a wide piece the whole length of the body. It being
removed, a profusely full robe of white linen had appeared, covering
the body from the throat to the feet.

And such linen! We all bent over to look at it.

Margaret lost her concern, in her woman's interest in fine stuff. Then
the rest of us looked with admiration; for surely such linen was never
seen by the eyes of our age. It was as fine as the finest